Card Tricks
by Vanessa Shaw
Summary: About a HYDRA experiment who wants nothing of the Avengers.


Notice: In this fan fiction Pietro Maximoff didn't die in the Battle of Sokovia.

(1997)

A missing children's report interrupted the program Magda was watching. A picture of a laughing baby with soft brown hair and beautiful blue eyes appeared on the television. "6-year-old Yvette Morin has been missing for 3 weeks. Morin was last seen at Oakfield Park, any sightings of Yvette Morin should be reported to authorities immediately," a male announcer said. The report ended with a brief "Thank you".

(2015)

Miranda kneaded her thumbs on the old card deck attempting to rub off a mud stain. The card deck belonged to Charlie, her best friend who had passed away 6 months ago in the Battle of Sokovia.

Charlie had supported Miranda when others hadn't, he was like her long lost grandfather. He liked to come up with crazy ideas, tell old jokes and tell stories of when he was Miranda's age. However, the most memorable thing Charlie did for Miranda was teaching her magic tricks. Anything from the "quarter up your nose" trick to fancy card tricks. Charlie's tricks gave her a way to earn money when she was on the streets.

The quirky old man wasn't Miranda's only friend, she had people back at the homeless shelter who were friendly to her. They feed her, gave her clothes, and a warm bed. Never asking why this twenty-year-old girl was homeless.

Miranda gave up trying to remove the stain and sighed, wiping off the sweat that had accumulated on her forehead. She placed the card deck down and looked into the busy street before her Men and women rushed to their destination sometimes dragging their children behind them. The street was so busy you couldn't see the shops across it.

Miranda turned her attention back to the card deck, positioned herself against a store's wall and started setting up the deck for her magic tricks. When she was with the cards Miranda started asking people if they wanted to see a magic trick."Sir do you want to see a magic trick?" She asked to a middle-aged man in a tan jacket with a deer skin briefcase case. "He didn't even look to see m-" Miranda's thoughts were interrupted by a small boy and his even smaller sister.

"Could I see a magic trick?" The little boy asked, taking his cap off his head and shoving it into his pocket.

"Sure!" Miranda said quickly not wanting to lose her audience to their parents. Miranda pulled out her card deck and showed it to the siblings.

"This is a deck of cards is magical. One card in this entire deck is turned upside down and it know which card you will choose," said Miranda

"That's impossible!" The boy exclaimed, his sister was intrigued but still said nothing.

"Nothing is impossible. Please, choose a card"

"Okay, I choose 9 of hearts"

Hearing the card of choice Miranda thumbed through it, sure to let the boy and sister see what she was doing. Miranda was so intent on finding the card she didn't see the mass of people watching her trick from behind the original audience. All the cards were face up revealing their number and class, all except one. Miranda pulled that one out merrily and showed it to the kids. The card was 9 of hearts.

"That's amazing!" Declared the boy, examining the 9 of hearts before handing it back to Miranda. Miranda put the deck back into its sleeve. "Greta, you should pick a card next!" The boy turning to his sister. The girl looked to her brother and then whipped her head around to Miranda.

"4 of spades," She said firmly, determined to figure out how the trick worked.

Miranda took out the deck again and began to thumb through the cards carefully. The little girl's eyes were pasted on every single movement Miranda made.

"Stop! I've figured it out!" The girl said confidently. Miranda's eyes widened, shocked that a little girl could figure her magic trick. "It was just as I thought, your deck is double sided, even numbers on one and side odds on the other. You have doubled each car with its so when they add up they equal 13, you can easily tell which card to choose because you know where it's located!" The audience hummed with approval at the little girl's results, Miranda, however, was dumbstruck. When Charlie first showed her the trick he had to explain it to her, this little girl figured it out herself!

The audience slowly dispersed back into the crowded street and Miranda was left alone. She began to put the card deck into its box.

"That was a good trick," A lady said.

Miranda looked up in surprise "Um, thanks" Miranda lifted herself to her feet to look at the lady. She couldn't be more than 24. She had brown wavy hair that reached down to her chest and was wearing a red jacket over a black dress.

"My uncle used to show me that trick when my brother and I visited him. I actually came back here to look for him." The lady continued.

"Oh. Well, I live in this part of town, I might know him if you told me his name?" Miranda responded.

"Charles Maximoff sound familiar?"

"No sorry"

"That's okay, here's something for your time" The lady was about to some money in Miranda's hand, but stopped, leaving Miranda's hand empty. Something had caught her eye. The lady grabbed Miranda's shoulder and dragged her down the street to a vacant alleyway. "What are you doing?" Miranda exclaimed, jerking herself away from the stranger. The lady didn't answer just kept dragging her to end of the alley and turned around to face Miranda.

"Where did you get that thing on you hand," The lady said quietly, looking back at the alley's entrance and watching those who walked before it.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Miranda stuttered.

"I talking about this." The lady said. She forcing open Miranda's hand revealing a large circular imprint surrounding a skull with tentacles was permanently branded on her skin

"It's not your business, leave me alone," Miranda said nervously pushing the lady's hands away.

"Actually, it is my business. Now tell me where you got it."

"I don't need to tell you anything, leave me alone!" Miranda screamed, forcing her way through the lady and back to the streets where it was safe.

"You don't understand, I'm just trying to help. Please tell me where you got that!" The brown haired lady said pulling Miranda back to her.

"Nobody can help me!" Miranda screamed, tears forming in her eyes. She attempted to thrash her hands at the lady to escape her grasp but was too slow. The lady mumbled something under her breath and scarlet wisps formed at her hands and eyes. The lady reached out her hands touching Miranda's temples, who instantly slumped at contact. The lady sighed and the wisps disappeared, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number. She crossed one hand over stomach and looked at Miranda as she waited for the person to pick up.

"Hello?" The male voice said.

"Tony? I have a situation, how fast can you get over here?" The lady asked.

Notice: If you read somebody's writing it only seems fair to share what you thought about it.


End file.
